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Arsenal required a strong performance and favorable result against a continental giant, but Renée Slegers’s side relinquished their two-goal lead and the victory to Bayern Munich with little resistance, plunging their Champions League defence into difficult waters.

Contrasting Outcomes from Previous Campaign

Last season, a inspiring fightback from 2-1 down to a 3-2 victory over Bayern in their last group stage match avenged their opening 5-2 loss to the Bavarian side and kickstarted their remarkable journey to the final. It marked a pivotal moment in their season, showing a mental toughness that carried them to a second Champions League title. Their collapse here showed they are still searching for the spirit that led to victory in May.

Fan Support in Germany

More than 400 Arsenal fans had traveled to Munich, many gathering at the city's famous beer hall before the game for their pre-match meet-up. They were shoved into a section of the upper level at the Allianz Arena, but still created an atmosphere, competing with the impressive home crowd of over 15,000 that made their presence felt in the lower tier.

Building on Previous Performance

The Arsenal goalkeeper had stated her team had "showed everything we had" in their hard-fought tie with Chelsea on Saturday. They were "deeply disappointed" by the outcome against the WSL champions, with questionable refereeing decisions bearing the brunt of those frustrations.

The goal, though, was to take the energy of that strong performance after halftime to Germany with them. Arsenal had started slowly against Chelsea. In Munich they stuck to the plan and there was no repeat of that slow start.

Fast Beginning for Visitors

They opened on the front foot. Beth Mead was particularly energetic and created difficulties for the Bayern defender their left-back and the central player Japanese international on the right as Arsenal's intense pressure proved effective.

It was Mead's effort that gave Arsenal the advantage in the fifth minute, the striker's effort unusually parried by the Bayern goalkeeper, the German shot-stopper. The midfielder was there to head it back over the keeper and in.

Doubling the Advantage

Arsenal's next score arrived midway through the half. Bayern's insistence on building from defense had been risky and was exploited. Mead intercepted the defender's wayward ball and laid off to Stina Blackstenius, who directed it towards the Spanish midfielder on the penalty area. The mercurial midfielder took a control to alleviate pressure from Tanikawa before driving past the goalkeeper.

After Break Turnaround

The intensity dropped a little in the second half. José Barcala made substitutions to try to bring his side into the game: the former Chelsea forward Pernille Harder, whose three goals in October 2024 took the game from 2-2 to 5-2, came on and Italian midfielder and Turkish talent followed shortly. The last of these would cause problems first, sprinting forward and collecting from German winger before directing the ball past Van Domselaar.

Complete Turnaround

It was Bayern in the ascendancy after the deficit was reduced, the home team sensing they could take something from the game. Harder produced, floating a looping ball in from the penalty box to level. They did not just want to take something, though: they wanted everything, and shortly after they had the lead, Glodis Viggosdottir scoring at the near post from Bühl's cross. This time it was a poor finish that disappointed Arsenal and, with one win from their European matches, they have a major challenge ahead.